In a statement released this week, business leaders from five regional economic groups called for the Columbia River Crossing project to move forward without delay.
"The proposal by municipal leaders to call a halt to forward progress in order to undertake further review and study of the 15 years of development to date will simply bog down the process [and] drive the cost of the Columbia Crossing up," said Identity Clark County chair Scott Horenstein.
Last month, local leaders including Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt, Portland Mayor Sam Adams and Metro Council president David Bragdon, wrote a letter expressing their concerns about the $2.6 billion proposed span to Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski and Gov. Christine Gregoire.
The governors responded in a joint letter dated Feb. 17 urging both states to move forward with plans to replace the nearly century-old Interstate Bridge.
Local business leaders cited the project's potential in terms of badly-needed jobs, improved freight and shipping access and alleviation of the bottlenecked Interstate 5 corridor as reasons to expedite the CRC's planning and design process.
"There is no greater economic stimulus for our region than the jobs that will be created to build the bridge," said Don Russo, chair of the Board of Directors at the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce.
